Machine for separating coal from ashes



(No Model.)

"1.9.- o. PRAZIER. MAGHINE POB. SEPARATING GOAL FRUM ASHES, &. No. 297,591. Patented Apr. 29,1884. f

N. Finns. Pham-mman, wnhingmn, u. c.

y UNIT-ED STATES d PATENT OFFICE.

Lucius o. EnAzIEn, oF PITTsBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.`

MACHINE FoRsEPARA-rme COAL FROM AsHEs, sbo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,591, dated` April 29, 1884.

Application filed January 14, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern: Y e

. Be it known that I, L. O. FRAZIER, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Pittsburg, in th'e county of Allegheny and- It is well known that in and about some Io large manufactories-such as mills for rolling iron and furnaces for the production of glassgreat quantities of bituminous coal are employed, and that much waste occurs in the` use of such fuel by reason of its smaller pieces passing through the re but partially con sumed and in the condition ot' semi-burned coke, which, on falling through the grate into and among the ashes and clinkers, is regarded as unavoidable waste, and generally thrown 2O away as such. This small haltburned -coal thus lost would, if properly separated from its accompanying ashes, &c., be of great value to blacksmiths' and others requiring a very hot lre almost destitute ol sulphur, smoke, 2 5 and name. Consequently many feeble attempts and crude, unsuccessful contrivances have been made to gather this material and free it' from the ashes and other incombustible matter wherewith it is generally mixed, 3 0 not only as a measure of economy, but rather for the purpose of furnishing those desiring it with a cheap article of fuel, known among its consumers by the peculiar'name of iioat1 coal77 or breeze A The object of my invention is to provide superior means whereby such aforementioned unconsumed and partially-.burned small coal may be expeditiously and effectively cleared and separated from such ashes, clinkers, and 4c. other worthless stuff with which it is generally mingled when fresh from the manufactories. To this end I constructia breeze-separator, which will be readilyunderstood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein-v Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of the machine embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a plan of the entire apparatus;

Fig. 3,a vertical central section of a modifiedv 5o portion of the discharging spout and tank or receiver att-ached'thereto.

Upon suitable stilts or legs, a, I erect a large waterltank, b, and provide the same with a supply-pipe, c, so connected to a steam-pump, d, or other device communicating with a cistern, e, that a continuous and plentiful stream of water may be caused to flow into said tank, the bottom of which has two oblong holes through itone, f, being located directly above and arranged to discharge a greater portion of the contents of the tank into the upper end of a long open-topped race or chute, g, which is inclined Y downwardly from the tank at such an angle to a horizontal plane as will cause a very rapid descent of .water entering at the top. This long chute g extends from the tank b at a downward incline for about half its entire length. Then for a short distance it forms a level pla-ne, 7L, which ends in a narrow opening,i, completely across the chute, beneath which opening t' is arranged a boxlike receptacle, j, fitted with a hinged dropbottom, k, for the ready removal of any refuse that may find its'way therein. From the opposite side of this transverse opening a portion, Z,of. the chute'extends gradually upward for a short distance, to produce atthat part a risingcurrent, which, on reaching the highest point, m, passes over into a declining spout, n, that is provided near its top with a strong sieve or riddle, o, of vsuch mesh or con struction as will reserve all breeze or tine coke for .further travel down the spout, but allow the water to pass freely through into a large funnel, p, so connected by a suitable pipe, q, to 'the cistern as to return the water, or most of it, thereto for other and repeated use.

Immediately beneath and closely along the largest inclined portion of the chute g is a secondary race or conduit, r, receiving its supply of water from the great tank b through a communicating hole, s, therein of sufcient proportion. The lower end of this conduit r is extended under the level portion h of the mainv chute g to its transverse opening z', where it terminates, this part being so constructed as to form a sort of broad tapering nozzle, t, that may be made capableofadj ustment as to depth or distance to or from the lower edge of the short upward incline, Z, and otherwise arranged with such relation thereto as that the current of water passing down said conduit shall, by

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sheer force of velocity, be carried completely over and across the intervening space, where, mingling with the water coming down by way of the main chute, it materially assists it in ascending the shorter incline Zto the place of discharge into the funnel p forits return to the well or cistern.

At a suiiicient altitude, and in close proximity to one side of the upper portion of the main chute g, is erected a large platform, n, f'or the reception and convenient handling of such breeze, ashes, and the like as are intended to be operated on.

Across the chute g, above the platform n, is a deep open-topped box, c, the bottom of which consists of a number of separate bars, w, arranged parallel to each other, so as to constitute a sort of coarse screen, The inner end of this box is unclosed, and its outer end is fitted with a large elevated sieve, zu, that may be placed vertically or at any convenient angle or leaning position to suit the circumstances.

Having thus described the mechanical construction of the parts, the operation thereof" is as follows: A quantity ol' such material as is to be operated on having been piled upon the platform n, the workman throws a shovelful at a time across the chute g and against the sieve a: with considerable violence, whereby the finer ashes and dust become detached and liberated from the mass, and in passing through the sieve leave the coarser ashes, coke, and clinkers to fall upon the open bars w in the bottom of the box o, which operates to catch and detain all the extra-large-sized clinkers, permitting the small coke and remaining ashes to fall through into the chute. time the water from the tank Z) be allowed to descend the chute and sub-raceway in sufficient quantity, the breeze, small coke, ashes, and clinkers will be carried along therewith, and in passing down the chute are thrown about with lively agitation, which serves to thoroughly wash the coke or breeze, that, by reason of its superior levity, swims upon the surface of the water, while the heavier refuse matters-such as the clinkers, &c. sink and travel' along the bottom of the chute until they arrive opposite the transverse opening therein, when they drop through into the vessel beneath. The water descending the long chute, by the time it reaches this point, will have attained such adegree of velocity as will cause it to rush over the transverse openi ng t' wit-hout stoppage or chance of falling through, and as If at the same nozzle tof the sub-raceway. After the current of water has reached and passed over the high est point of the shorter incline Z, it drops through a sieve, 0, into the funnel p, from whence it is conducted back to the cistern c for repeated use, leaving the washed and purified breeze or small coke to roll down the discharge-spout, to be subsequently gathered up and dried to fit it for the consumer.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of a disehargingspout, Z', provided with a tank or receiver, M, on the end thereof, in view of' which the funnel-pipe p q and the tank c (shown in Fig. l) may be dispensed with when so desired; but I prefer the construction of said parts shown in Fig. l.

Modifications in the details of construction of' my invention may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantagcs thereof', the essential elements of which will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. In a machine for separating, washing, and gathering small pieces of coke or breeze from ashes, clinkers, and the like, the combination of the elevated water-tank provided with a supply-pipe for feeding water thereto, and with holes through its bottom, the chute, and sub-raceway, said chute having the transverse opening at the lower end, an upwardinclined plane beyond said transverse opening, and the spout or declining slide provided with a sieve for separating the water from the breeze or washed coke, a funnel, a return-pipe, and a cistern, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the water-tank and cistern provided with communicating supply and return pipes, with the downwardly-inclined chute and sub-raceway provided with a transverse openi ng at the foot of said chute, the shorter upward incline, and the dischargespout having a sieve, substantially as shown and described.

LUC/IUS O. F tAZIER.

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